AMI links with South American airfreight wholesaler

Wholesaler AMI has opened a new office in Miami, its sixth US branch, and established a partnership with Craft Group, a Brazil-based regional wholesaler covering ten South American countries.
AMI Miami will serve the local airfreight agent community – as well as acting as the control centre for transhipments between AMI’s US and global networks, and South America.
Craft Group, a neutral ocean and airfreight wholesaler, was founded in 1997 and has 600 staff working at offices in 27 centres throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Craft will handle and clear AMI imports to these countries, as well as selling AMI’s global network of direct and via-Miami services.
Said AMI vice president for the US, Mike Pattinson: “Miami is a cost-effective gateway linking South America with the US and the world, but it demands a solid presence on the spot to manage the transhipment process. AMI now has that presence.
“Meanwhile, Craft Group is one of very few other truly trade-only wholesalers in the world, and so enables AMI to maintain the integrity of its neutral business model.
“Craft is the ideal complement to AMI’s existing global network: they are as strong in South America as AMI is in other regions.
“This is the joining of the largest global airfreight wholesaler’s network with that of the premier wholesaler of ocean and air freight in South America; it extends both parties’ reach to better service their respective customers’ needs.”
Priscilla Bueno, Craft Group’s corporate airfreight director: “This collaboration with AMI opens up many new opportunities in both directions.
“We gain access to AMI’s impressive global coverage both for exports and imports, and we can also help AMI to develop in South America through our robust operational presence in ten countries, enhanced by our strong sales resource and local market knowledge.”